(3 min read)

It’s the time of year when, for many of us, our thoughts turn to booking a summer holiday.

As the weather improves, we dream of cloudless skies, warm seas and relaxed family time. And cyber criminals and hackers know that’s what you’re thinking. So they’re pulling out all the stops to try and scam you out of your hard-earned holiday fund.

Indeed, a recent report by Action Fraud in the UK says:

“New data shows there were 6,066 reports of holiday fraud made to Action Fraud last year, with July recorded as the highest month of reporting, with 647 reports. Holiday makers lost a combined total of £11,183,957 (13,050,559.42 Euro) in 2024.”

So here are our three top tips on avoiding holiday fraud and designing your holiday with the best experience in mind.

Tip #1: Treat everything with caution

You’re probably already seeing a lot of holiday offers in your social media feeds. You’ll also be getting emails with great deals and special offers. It’s tempting to click the advert or the link, just to see what’s on offer. But that’s the last thing you should do.

If the offer is genuine, it will be on the operator’s website, so go there and do some proper checks, including:

• Does the operator have ABTA or ATOL protection? It’s not enough to see the logos on the website. Go to the trade body website and look up your operator to make sure they really are members. That’s the only way to make sure your holiday is genuinely protected.

• Is the company legitimate? A great offer from an unknown brand might get you shaking last year’s sand off your beach shorts, but don’t book anything with a company you haven’t used before without checking they are a legitimate entity.

• Can you pay with a credit card? – in most cases, this protects any payment you make. 

Tip #2: Create a peak-end moment for your holiday

Once you’re confident you’re booking a genuine holiday, you can start to plan in earnest. With our focus on behavioural science, we’re here to tell you that you can plan the perfect holiday using a handy rule called the ‘peak-end rule’.

Initially identified by Nobel Prize-winning behavioural scientist, Dr Daniel Kahneman and validated by many other scientists since, the peak-end rule describes the fact that we tend to remember the ‘biggest’ thing that happened to us during an event, and the last thing that happened. The biggest thing is often a negative – the hotel room was terrible, or the plane was cancelled. But by planning ahead, we can create our own peak and end events, making the holiday truly memorable.  You can read more about the peak-end rule in our blog on a secret to having a better holiday.

So, when you’re planning your holiday, find an amazing event that will be memorable, and book something for your final day that ensures you end your holiday on a high.

Tip #3: Come back to a cyber-healthy business

You don’t want the biggest memory of your holiday to be an urgent call about a cyber attack back home.

The truth is, cyber criminals love holidays too – especially when businesses drop their guard. 
Behavioural science shows us that real security doesn’t come from a one-off training session; it’s built over time, through small, consistent changes in behaviour. And the best time to start? Right now – before you’re juggling flip-flops, passports and sun cream.

At Psybersafe, we make it easy: short, fun monthly episodes that help your team build stronger habits without even breaking a sweat. If you want to come back from holiday to good news (and not a cyber mess), drop us a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We love behavioural science. We’ve studied it and we know it works.  If you want to know more about the science of persuasion and influence and behavioural science in general have a look at our sister site https://influenceinaction.co.uk/

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Mark Brown is a behavioural science expert with significant experience in inspiring organisational and culture change that lasts.  If you’d like to chat about using Psybersafe in your business to help to stay cyber secure, contact Mark today.